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Mar 17, 2009

It appears like the giant aircraft maker company Lockheed Martin has developed an actual working exoskeleton. That’s right, one of those wearable strength-booster things plucked right out of science-fiction is now working reality!

Lockheed Martin calls this exoskeleton the HULC. Clearly, it takes its name as homage to the superhero Hulk, but, practically speaking, it reminds me of Iron Man, without the full-body metal suit.

The HULC is a “hydraulic-powered anthropomorphic exoskeleton that provides users with the ability to carry loads up to 200 lbs for extended periods of time and over all terrains”. Note the soldier carrying the bomb. I am assuming that the HULC is taking the weight, and preventing back strain.

As for the power of the HULC, it is completely battery-powered. I have heard that the exoskeleton is quite flexible, and its design is “power-saving”, to save on energy for secret missions.

So is this the age of the super-soldier? Remember in Iron Man how one of the bad guys said that you could conquer Asia with twelve Iron Man suits? Just imagine what an army of HULCs could do.

I don’t really have much information on this, but I’m guessing Lockheed Martin will only market this to the military. Too bad. I could think of a lot of private uses for this.